Car insurance discount that involves a Bluetooth device in my car--worth it?

[Anonymous]

My car insurance, State Farm, sent a letter saying because I don't drive much, I'm eligible for their "Safe& Save" discount. On their web site it looks like this involves downloading a phone app and putting a Bluetooth device in my car so they can monitor how I drive--how sharply I brake, how I turn, etc. as well as where I go and distances.

It sounds incredibly invasive and I'm not sure how the info is all that much more useful than giving them odometer readings every few months. On the other hand, maybe it's not a big deal and worth the savings (supposedly up to 50% on my premium).

Has anybody signed up for one of these programs? Any advice?

[Anonymous]

Would you want an insurance agent sitting in your back seat taking notes to draft your next premium increase? Drive as you wish and avoid tickets and you’ll be fine. Sign up for this and they are more likely to increase than decrease rates. They can’t drop your rate to zero.

[Anonymous]

I considered it but after doing research I decided against it. There was a penalty for braking too hard. I commute about a mile to a metro station parking garage, so I'm in the car about 15 minutes a day all together. I paid attention to the number of times I stopped hard over a week. It was several times in that week at least, and honestly most couldn't be avoided. I braked hard for a jaywalking pedestrian that popped out from behind a bus, a car that suddenly slammed on its brakes in front of me, things like that. The idea is that it makes a noise (I think) when you do it and you're supposed to learn how to brake more gently. I could see that if you were a hard braker in general, and how that could cut down on the likelihood of an accident, but I don't think it's built for urban car commuting, even if it's a short distance.

[Anonymous]

People complain about it counting complete stops at stop signs as hard braking. It’s very unlikely to lower your premium, but likely to piss you off.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for the advice! Sounds awful. I will pass.

[Anonymous]

Not a chance. But I also have turned off Siri and refuse to get an Alexa because I don’t trust what big companies will do with my personal data.

[Anonymous]

This would be bad news for me. I’m a safe driver in that I’ve never been in an accident but I brake hard sometimes or take curves too fast.

[Anonymous]

No way would I do this.

[Anonymous]

Too invasive.

[Anonymous]

I signed up for this exact program in the spring. My grades were decent (As and Bs) and then we went on a vacation where we drove. And my husband drove and my grades dropped to all Cs. We basically go a $20 discount at renewal this fall. It has made me a more conscientious driver, but I don’t th8nk it is worth the data they are likely collecting on me. And per the PP’s comment - it doesn’t make any noises when you drive poorly.

[Anonymous]

Bump. Wondering if anyone has recent experience with this app.

[Anonymous]

My buddy has one of these with a different insurance company in California that bills monthly. He says during the pandemic that his rates were really low because he wasn’t driving anywhere. But then he’d take a roadtrip and the rate would shoot up to like $100 the next month. It was all over the place.

I honestly think that with urban drivers, there isn’t a ton of mileage you’re putting on the car so they can’t charge you as much. But if they have this data on your habits, they can justify higher rates. They know that urban driving environments are filled with more obstacles, traffic, start and stops, etc.

No way in hell would I give this data to an insurer. It’s like allowing your health insurer to monitor your body. Ick

[Anonymous]

OP, don't do this. Once you have a record it would become part of your driving record and can be transferred to other insurance companies.